Since the Supreme Court reinstated Capital Punishment in 1976, over 500 people have been executed in the state of Texas.

For the past year artist Mark Menjivar and educator Ryan Sprott have been working with a group of high school students using public archives, oral history, community engagement and the arts to explore capital punishment from multiple perspectives.

During this participatory workshop, community members will learn about the basic processes of the capital punishment system in Texas through interdisciplinary artistic activities. Participants will also explore the exhibition on view and how it intersects with current events.

About the Instructors:
Mark Menjivar is an artist and photographer based in San Antonio, TX. His work explores diverse subjects through photography, stories and found objects while emphasizing dialogue and collaboration. Menjivar is also a member of Borderland Collective.His work has been shown at venues across the country including The Houston Center for Photography, The San Antonio Museum of Art, The Wignall Museum of Art, The University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Baylor University, The Southwest School of Art and Central Michigan University. Mark's work has been featured by National Geographic, Artforum, TED, NPR, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Village Voice, Gastronomica, Orion Magazine, GUP Magazine and dozens more.

Ryan Sprott has taught a wide variety of grade levels in rural, urban and international settings. He currently teaches history at the International School of the Americas in San Antonio, TX where his work focuses on developing students’ global competencies, including their abilities to empathize, weigh different perspectives, and communicate with diverse audiences. His educational philosophy is continually informed by his work with Borderland Collective, a social art project he co-founded while teaching in West Texas.